Lewis Hamilton looked in absolute agony with back ache after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton took a 4th place finish at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon but certainly went through the pain barrier in order to achieve it.

The 7-time world champion has not had things his way so far this season in Formula 1, with the Mercedes car unable to compete right at the front with Red Bull and Ferrari.

Indeed, whilst the Bulls were achieving a one-two in Baku, Hamilton was battling through from a 7th place start on the grid, with him managing to achieve 4th by the chequered flag after a double retirement for Ferrari as Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz suffered technical faults.

In the context of this season, a 4th place finish is something to almost celebrate for Mercedes but, post-race, Hamilton was in no mood or shape to be jumping around, with it clear the Grand Prix had taken a severe toll on his body.

Over the course of practice and qualifying, it was clear that the Mercedes had been suffering with porpoising considerably down the huge start/finish straight in Baku, with a bone-aching ride being thrown up at high speed.

Indeed, Lewis said on Saturday that he was already feeling the pain and, ahead of lights out, Toto Wolff even went as far as to suggest it might be a struggle physically for Hamilton to reach the finish.

Ultimately, he saw the chequered flag but at an evident cost to his health, as this clip underlines – courtesy of Sky Sports F1:

Hamilton does not look well